Picking up the Broken Pieces
by DeadManHBK
Summary: When Eli comes close to losing his only child, he begins to see the error of his ways, and decides he will do what he can to save the relationship he has with his daughter. Alan Rickman / Nobel Son fanfiction.
1. Chapter 1

_This is a story I have been working on, based on the film Nobel Son. Please keep in mind - this has my own spin on it. It does not fully follow the film, so if that bothers you...well, sorry._

_Rated M mainly for the adult scene in the first chapter._

_Enjoy. :)_

* * *

**Picking Up the Broken Pieces**

_None of them could have predicted this happening to them. Who would? Who would expect to go through such a terrifying experience? Most do not prepare themselves for this sort of thing. However, despite the fear, anguish, and numerous tears shed, one positive thing managed to result from all of this, which was the re-bonding of a once broken relationship._

**)))**

Eli Michaelson rubbed his eyes and glanced once more at his watch. It was nearly midnight, and he knew he needed to get home. However, the stack of papers sitting there in front of him were not going to grade themselves, so picking up his pen, he went back to work. A frown came to his face when he heard a knocking, and when he looked up he was caught by surprise at the site of someone standing on the other side of his office door. When he saw who it was, though, he relaxed and motioned for them to come into the room.

"What are you doing here Beth? Jesus, you scared the shit out of me," he commented.

"I was driving by, and when I saw the light on in here, I thought I would stop in and keep you company," the young redhead replied as she walked over to his desk and sat on the edge in front of him.

"Who said I wanted your company?"

"After our last meeting, I know damn well you thoroughly enjoy my company," she stated as her hand ran along his chest.

"What if that was just a onetime thing? For all you know, my attraction to you could have completely diminished since then."

"I'm not stupid, Eli. I've seen the way you look at me, and I know you want to fuck me now as badly as you did then."

Eli narrowed his eyes at her, and slowly a wicked grin crossed his face. "You're a very good observer, Miss Chapman," he purred, his hands running along her thighs as she stood before him, and she let out a squeak of surprise when he roughly pulled her down onto his lap and crushed his lips to hers. Moaning into his mouth, she returned the kiss as her hands swiftly undid his pants and reached inside to stroke him through his boxers. Not into the mood for teasing or foreplay, he stood up, lifting her up with him, and laid her down upon his desk. Pulling her panties down and off of her, he gave himself a couple of strokes as he prodded her most feminine area with his free hand. Feeling how ready she was, he swiftly buried himself within her, squeezing his eyes shut and his nails digging into her hips as her tight warmth enveloped him. Beth moaned as he drove into her hard and fast, her legs winding around his hips to draw him in even deeper.

"Oh Eli," she gasped, her hands grabbing at his shirt. Bracing his hands on his desk, he leaned forward to where he was pressed snugly against her, the direct stimulation against her clit making her cry out.

"Oh god, it's been too long," he panted, finding it hard to hold off from coming.

"Come for me, Eli. I want to feel you come," Beth whimpered, the feeling of her spasming around him letting him know she was getting close as well.

Mustering the last of his strength, he pulled her closer to him and proceeded to thrust in her as quickly as he could. It was not long before she was crying out her release, and he buried himself to the hilt within her as his own climax overtook him. Once he came down from his high, he resituated himself before collapsing back into his chair. As he struggled to catch his breath, he watched Beth with heavy eyes as she straightened her clothes as well. She then sat in his lap, and kissed him intimately. "I think that was just what I needed," he murmured once he pulled away, and let out a content sigh.

"Maybe now you won't be such a grumpy ole shit," Beth said teasingly with a wink, her comment making him chuckle.

"You better go on before someone sees your car," he commented, and they share one last kiss before she stood up and left.

It was another hour before Eli finally decided to call it quits for the night, and locked everything up securely before heading home. As he walked into the house, he did his best to remain quiet. The last thing he wanted was to wake anyone. While padding up the stairs, he listened for any sign of someone still being awake, and was pleased when only silence greeted him. Making his way into his bedroom, he stripped down to his boxers and undershirt before silently slipping into bed. Just when he thought he was home free, a hand suddenly touched his shoulder, making him jump with surprise.

"I was wondering when you were going to get home," he heard Sarah whisper. "I was starting to get worried."

"Sorry if I kept you up, love. I lost track of time grading papers."

"It's okay," she said, and noticed when she touched his arm he cringed away from her. "Is everything okay? You seem a little jumpy."

"I'm fine. You just startled me, that's all. I didn't think you would still be up."

"Neither did I, but the later it got, the more worried I became."

"Sorry again for keeping you up," he apologized, and kissed her before they both quickly fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning came much too quickly for Eli. Slowly, he trudged down the stairs, and his stomach immediately growled as a delicious smell hit his nose. When he walked into the kitchen he found his daughter Leyna sitting at the counter, idly rolling a glass of orange juice between her hands as she read through one of her textbooks. She glanced up when she heard him, and gave a small smile. "Good morning dad," she greeted him.

"Good morning," he mumbled as he walked over to the coffee pot, and was pleasantly surprised when he found a pot of coffee already made.

As he poured himself a mugs worth, Leyna informed him, "I made some breakfast, in case you're interested."

Walking over to the counter, he looked at the plate she had fixed him, both the site and smell of it making his mouth water. "I am so famished right now, that I think I could just about eat anything," he replied as he sat down and immediately began to eat. Glancing over at her, he added, "What is it you need?"

Leyna was brought back by this. "Because I made you coffee and breakfast, that must mean I want something? Gee, I'm glad you view my motives so highly," she stated dryly.

"Well, it's not every day I wake up to this."

"That is because you're always gone before I even wake up. Since I needed to be up earlier this morning, I thought I would be nice and make you some breakfast as well. Sorry for attempting to do a good deed," she commented, her tone revealing how upset she was.

Eli felt a slight twinge of guilt. "Well…thank you for breakfast. It's very good," he murmured, and went back to eating.

"You're welcome," she replied softly, and touched his shoulder before going back to reading.

He cast a glance her way, and watched her for a moment as she read. It amazed him at how different and yet how similar they were. Personality-wise, they were polar opposites. While he was out spoken and painfully blunt, to the point of being downright mean at times, she was quiet, kind-hearted, and very loving. As hard shelled as he was, she was equally as sensitive. However, there was no denying she was his daughter, for she was a mirror image of him. From her soft light brown hair, to her uniquely shaped hazel eyes, she had definitely inherited his good looks. The only physical differences between them, aside from gender, were her short height and small, dainty nose, both which came from her mother's side of the family. He may not have ever admitted it to her, but in his eyes, she had turned into a gorgeous young woman, and he was secretly proud to call her his daughter. "So why is it you needed to be up at this time?" he asked casually.

She looked up at him for a moment. "For one of my classes, we have some sort of required test we have to take," she informed him, giving a slight shrug of her shoulders as she turned the page of her book.

"Which class is that?"

"Art History and Appreciation. I'm not too worried about it, really."

"Well, I'm sure, seeing as that sort of subject is your forte."

She flashed a smile his way. "Thanks for having some faith in me," she replied, and finished the last of her juice before closing her book and standing up. "I'm going," she added, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before grabbing her purse and heading out the front door.

**)))))**

The rest of the morning went by as any normal day would. After finishing his breakfast, Eli showered and dressed before heading to the university to begin his teaching. The first three classes went by in a blurred haze, and by the time noon came around, he was ready to go home. He was just about to leave his office to go have a quick lunch, when his phone began to ring. Eli was tempted to just let it ring, but decided against this, and answered it. From that point on, not only did his day, but also his life was changed indefinitely.

Leyna was sitting in the living room, eating leftover Chinese takeout, when Eli suddenly barged into the house. She looked over at him with a startled expression on her face. "Dad, what are you doing home?" she asked as she sat down the container she had been holding. She then stood up when he began to walk toward her, and was caught off guard when he suddenly picked her up off the floor and spun her around the room.

"Do you have any idea how wonderful my day has gotten?" he stated happily as he finally put her back down, a wide smile on his face as he looked down at her.

Leyna was completely baffled by his unusual behavior. "What on Earth put you in such a good mood?" she inquired.

Placing his hands on her shoulders, he asked in a low voice, "Guess who just found out they won the Nobel Prize?" With wide eyes and her mouth agape, all she could do was stare up at him, for she was left speechless at the news he had just informed her of. "Now, you must not tell anyone a word of this. It needs to be kept quiet over the next couple days. Alright?"

She nodded her head, a bright smile finally coming to her face as it began to sink in. Letting out a small squeal, she threw her arms around his neck to hug him. "Dad, that is amazing! Oh, I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you, darling," he replied as he returned the hug, and then gently pulled her away.

"I assume you just found out?"

Eli nodded. "They just called me not too long ago and told me the good news. I decided I deserved the rest of the day off, so I took off to come back here . Be sure to keep Thursday open."

"What is going on Thursday?"

"The university is throwing me a little celebration party. Is there any way you could get the weekend off?"

"I think I have the weekend off, actually."

"Good, because I would appreciate it if you accompanied me and your mother to Stockholm."

"I would love to go," she said with a warm smile.

"Wonderful. Well, I am going to head upstairs and get a head start on packing. I suggest you do the same," he informed her. She nodded at him, and he touched her shoulder before heading upstairs.


	3. Chapter 3

"Leyna, I hope you're ready!" Eli called out as he slipped on his suit jacket, and asked Sarah for a lending hand in straightening his tie.

A few seconds later, Leyna was hurrying down the steps. "I'm ready, I'm ready," she reassured them as she sat her clutch down to quickly put on her jacket.

"Leyna, you look very lovely in that outfit," Sarah commented. "Don't you agree, Eli?"

Eli glanced over at Leyna. His immediate thought was, _"My god, yes",_ but instead of saying this he replied, "It'll have to do. Now come on! We need to go."

Already having his back to her as he walked out the door, Eli may have missed the flash of hurt which had come to Leyna's face, but Sarah caught it. However, she left it alone, as the three of them headed out to the car.

Once at the party, Leyna watched her father as he interacted with the other guests there at his celebration. It was apparent how proud he was of himself, and to be honest, she was equally proud of him. Granted, the idea of his ego becoming even more inflated made her cringe, but to be fair, after all the years of hard work he had dedicated, he earned that ego fair and square. "Did anyone tell dad this was a semi-formal event?" she enquired, noticing how he stuck out like a sore thumb in his dark tuxedo.

"He knew," Sarah replied simply, and Leyna shook her head.

"Well, dad always was an attention stealer. At least he looks handsome in it," she commented, and grew quiet when she saw someone hand Eli a microphone.

As everyone's interest shifted to him, applause erupted from all the guests, and Eli simply looked around the room as he basked in the glory of the attention he was receiving. Once it had died down, he began, "I'd like to thank you all for coming tonight. Some of you willingly…some of you in spite of yourselves. Tomorrow I'm off to claim my Nobel Prize. Joining me will be my wife, Sarah, who, I am certain has only been able to put up with my manias and eccentricities all these years because her definition of "crazy" is so narrow. Hell, she convinced a jury that Jeffrey Dahmer wasn't crazy. Thus, of course, negating his insanity defense, and engineering his terminal incarceration. Sarah." A slightly embarrassed look came to Sarah's face as everyone applauded her name, and she simply smiled in return. "And we will be accompanied by our lovely daughter Leyna, who has just about ensured that my work in single-molecule spectroscopy will not have a natural heir." Leyna let out a silent sigh, waiting for the humiliation and embarrassment he would proceed to lay upon her verbally. "However, she is proving to be quite the genius in her own unique way. With a major in English, and a minor in Writing, she has made it rather apparent she is very serious in becoming an author, and making a name for herself. After reading some of her work, I am confident that will become a reality sometime in the future, and I plan on being the first to get her personal signature when she does publish her first book. If anyone else attempts to prevent that from happening, I will strangle you with my bare hands." Laughter erupted from the crowd of guests as they applauded for Leyna as well. Eli glanced her way, and flashed a quick but warm smile before continuing on with his speech, leaving Leyna brought back by his comments.

**(((((**

"Since when have you read any of my work?" Leyna inquired on the drive back home.

"Oh, your mother thought it might be a nice touch, so I figured I would add it in," Eli replied simply, his attention clearly more on the road than it was on his daughter.

"So you lied about all of that?"

"Sometimes little white lies are necessary in life."

"Jesus, Eli, would you quit lying to her? Why are you being that way?" Sarah said in a stern tone. "Your father has in fact read some of your work. Why he feels the need to lie about that, however, I do not know," she added, aiming this last part at Leyna. Eli simply rolled his eyes, and the three of them remained silent the remainder of the drive home.

Once they were back at the house, Eli started to say as he got out of the car, "Leyna, we are leaving at seven tomorrow morning-" but stopped when he saw Leyna walking briskly toward the house, obviously ignoring him. "Little girl, I'm talking to you!" he called after her, but only received the slam of the front door as an answer. "What the hell did I do?"

"What do you expect, Eli? You treat your daughter like shit, and even on the rare occasions you do show compassion, you cover it with more insults. Can you blame her for being fed up with twenty years worth of your bullshit?" Sarah suddenly spat at him, and walked away just as angrily.

Eli watched her, a shocked look on his face. Neither Sarah nor Leyna had been one to show anger like they both had that evening, so he knew he had gone a bit too far with what he had said. Slowly, he trudged into the house, and found Sarah in the kitchen sitting by the counter, a glass of wine in front of her as she wearily rested her head in her hands. "Sarah, love, I'm sorry," he murmured once he was standing next to her, and softly massaged the base of her neck with his hand as he kissed her shoulder. "I was completely out of line."

She turned to where she was facing him, and gave a weak smile as she rested her hand on his cheek. "I'm not the one you need to apologize to, honey," she said softly.

He nodded. "I'm going to go talk to her now," he replied, and gave her a kiss before heading upstairs. He stopped in front of Leyna's bedroom door, and could hear she was obviously doing something.

Quietly, he knocked on the door, and she called out, "I don't want to talk."

"Honey, please open the door."

"Fuck you, dad. I think you said enough in the car."

He could feel his temper flaring, but taking a deep breath, he kept it under control, and said, "Alright, fine. If you will not let me in, then I will say what I need to say from here. I'm sorry for the way I treated you earlier. I was rude, and completely out of line, and I hope you can forgive me."

There was silence, followed by the padded sound of footsteps, and her door swinging open. "You don't even know why I am angry, do you?"

Eli frowned. "Of course I do. I was a dick to you in the car, hence the reason I am here apologizing," he replied.

Leyna scoffed. "No, dad, that isn't what bothered me. I'm used to that from you. What upset me, is the fact that you lied to me," she informed him, and hesitated before adding, "You're my dad…I shouldn't expect anything but the truth from you. Do you know how it makes me feel, knowing you cannot even be honest with me? Do you have any idea how low that was of you?"

Guilt tugged at Eli's heart when he noticed how puffy her eyes were, and that her eyes were beginning to glisten with tears. This had clearly hurt her more than he thought. "It was wrong of me, I know. I should have never done that to you, and I truly am sorry," he murmured, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "If it makes you feel any better, what I said at the party tonight was completely true. The things I said to those people I meant."

A small smile came to her face. "Well I'm glad I have your approval," she replied quietly, and he gave her shoulder a squeeze.

"Be ready by seven in the morning, okay? It is important we do not miss this flight," he informed her. She nodded, and they said good night to one another before heading into their own bedrooms. Little did they know, their lives would take a drastic change that following morning.


	4. Chapter 4

When the alarm clock began to beep loudly, Eli grumbled under his breath as he blindly reached over to shut it off. Letting out a loud yawn, he rolled over to where he was facing Sarah, and kissed her shoulder before murmuring, "Wake up, love. We have a big day ahead of us. Would you like some coffee?"

"Yeah. I'll be down in a minute," she mumbled, her voice muffled by her pillow, and he slipped on his house shoes before putting on his robe and walking out of their bedroom. Before heading downstairs, he stopped in front of Leyna's bedroom door, and knocked loudly on it. "Wake up, Leyna. We need to get going," he called out, and trudged down the stairs to the kitchen. As he prepared a pot of coffee, he noticed a piece of paper sitting on the counter. Picking it up, he immediately noticed the handwriting, and saw it was a note from Leyna, which read:

_**I woke up early this morning, and could not go back to sleep, so I decided to take a quick jog. Don't worry – I will be back in plenty of time.**_

_**Love,  
Leyna**_

Tossing the paper into the trash can, he grabbed two mugs from the cabinet, and poured coffee into one of them. "I haven't heard Leyna get up yet. Are you sure she heard you?" Sarah asked as she walked into the kitchen, and thanked Eli when he handed her the other mug he got out.

"Apparently she is not even here. She left a note, saying she went on a jog."

"This early in the morning?"

Eli shrugged. "I don't ask questions. I just hope she gets back in time for us to catch the flight."

"Is she ever one to be late? You know as well as I do that should not be a problem," she commented as she poured milk into her coffee. "Did she say where she went to?"

He shook his head. "It just said she was taking a jog, and that she would be back in time," he replied, and finished off the last of his coffee before heading back upstairs to take a shower and get ready.

Two hours passed, and there was still no sign of Leyna. "Damn it, Leyna, you better be getting your ass here soon," Eli said aloud to himself as he paced the living room.

"Eli, I am beginning to worry. This isn't the norm for her," Sarah stated, watching him as he walked back and forth.

"If we end up missing the flight because she cannot manage her time, I am going to be _livid_," he added, clearly not having heard Sarah's statement. He glanced once more at his watch, and let out a frustrated groan. "We are already running late, Sarah. I'm sorry, but I am not about to wait around any longer. She can find her own way to the airport," Eli stated, and abruptly walked out to the car.

Shaking her head, Sarah walked over to the table sitting by the front door, and hurriedly wrote a note informing Leyna to take her car to the airport, and they would meet up there. She could hear Eli impatiently honking the horn, and quickly added for Leyna to call them as soon as she read the note before setting the third ticket next to it and hurrying out the door.

**)))))**

"Whoa," Eli said as he and Sarah walked into the suite they would be staying in.

"Oh, this is beautiful," Sarah said with a smile as she took in the beauty of the room. However, as she continued to explore their hotel room, her mind once more went to Leyna. Despite the fact she hid it from Eli, on the inside she was worried sick. It was now five in the evening, and they still had not heard from Leyna. It was not like her to be so irresponsible, and not let them know where she was. Sarah wanted to say something to Eli, but when she looked over at him, and saw how happy and wrapped up in the moment he was, she decided against it, and brought her attention to excitement of her husband being merely hours away from receiving the Nobel Prize.

As he put his jacket back on, Eli glanced over at Sarah, and saw she was staring out the window, clearly in her own world. "Sarah, love, are you alright?"

She looked over at him, a surprised expression on her face. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I asked if you were alright. You've been awfully quiet," Eli repeated.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, and was about to say something else, when the phone suddenly began to ring.

"Doctor Eli Michaelson," he answered, and when a dark look settled over his face, Sarah wondered who it was on the phone. He remained quiet as he listened to the person talking, and rolled his eyes before saying, "Oh bull. Cut the shit Leyna and get your ass on a plane." He paused briefly, before adding, "Well you better be. I cannot even begin to describe how livid I am with you. Do you have any idea how much it is going to cost me to pay for what was supposed to be a free ticket to Stockholm? Quit fucking around, and get here A. S. A. P!"

"Let me talk to her-" Sarah began to say, when he abruptly hung up. "Eli! I wanted to speak to our daughter!"

"She is on her way. Everything's fine, now let's go," he replied, and made his way to the door.

"Is she really on her way?"

"Yes, and she sends you her love, Sarah, now come on!" he said impatiently, and walked out of the room. Reluctantly, she dropped the subject as she followed him out the door, but could not shake the feeling something was not right.

**(((((**

It was one in the morning before the two of them got back to the hotel room. As they stumbled into the suite laughing uncontrollably, it was clear they had both consumed one too many a drink.

When Sarah walked over to the bed, she noticed the package lying there on it, and saw it was addressed to her. Curious, she tore it open, and saw it was a blank DVD case, with a note taped to it saying, 'Watch First'. "Honey, what is this?" she asked as she opened the case, and found a burned DVD within it.

Eli walked over to her, and looked at what she was holding. "How should I know? It's your package, not mine. Play it, and see what it is."

Sarah started to walk over to the television set, when she stopped and glanced over at him. "This isn't your way to try and get me to watch one of those dirty movies with you again, is it?"

Eli could not help but to laugh at this. "Don't you wish," he replied teasingly, and Sarah simply smirked as she finally advanced toward the television.

"I wonder what it is," she said as she pushed the play button on the DVD player, and gave a frown of confusion when the film opened with the image of a girl lying on a concrete floor, her hands and feet bound and her body shaking as she silently sobbed.

Just then, someone walked up to her, the only thing showing on them being their legs, and said into a voice modulator, "Say it."

"No," she whimpered, and yelped when the person kicked her hard in the side.

"I said say it, bitch!"

"Okay! Okay!" she cried out, and when she finally looked up at the camera, to where her face could be seen, Sarah covered her mouth with her hands when she saw it was Leyna. "Mom…dad…please…please do what they tell you," Leyna said through her tears.

"Eli…" Sarah said in a choked voice, and grabbed his arm as they both watched the film in disbelief.

"I…I'm so scared…please help me," she added, but was cut off when the person standing next to her proceeded to beat her senseless.

Feeling helpless, all Eli and Sarah could do is watch in horror as their daughter was beaten to a bloody pulp. Time seemed to stand still when they suddenly saw the person withdraw a metal bat, lightly tapping it against the palm of their hand, before raising it up and swinging it down full force to where it made contact with Leyna's stomach, the impact of it making a sickening 'thud'. Her face grew red, and the veins in her neck bulged as she struggled desperately to gasp for air until losing consciousness.

"If you want to see your daughter alive, read the instructions contained within the package you received, and do as they say. You have twenty four hours to complete the task given to you," another distorted voice instructed them, and the screen suddenly went blank.

Numbly, Sarah picked up the envelope, and pulled out the folded piece of paper. "I can't read it," she said in a trembling voice, and handed it to Eli before sinking down onto the bed, burying her face in her hands as she tried to take in everything. Eli read the ransom note asking for two million dollars, he could not help thinking dryly to himself, _"This trip certainly sobered up quickly."_


	5. Chapter 5

Numbly, Eli poured himself a cup of coffee, doing everything he could to battle the lack of sleep he had gotten. It was cutting close to the end of their twenty-four hours, and while they had followed each instruction given to them, he still feared the worse.

"Is there any left?" Sarah asked as she walked over to him. Having not gotten any sleep either, she looked equally exhausted.

"There's still some left, yes," he informed her, handing her the mug he had just filled before pouring another one.

She thanked him, before taking a sip of the warm liquid. As she did so, she studied him for a moment, before asking, "How are you holding up?"

Eli glanced over at her as he sat down the empty coffee pot. "Alright, I suppose," he mumbled, and took a drink of his own coffee. In a quieter voice, he added, "I guess I'm just a little worried of something going wrong. Not to mention I'm worried sick about Leyna. Thinking about what they could possibly be doing to her makes my stomach churn."

Stepping closer to him, Sarah softly wrapped an arm around his waist, and he in return embraced her tightly. "We've done all we can, Eli. We stuck to our part, in giving them the money they requested. Now, the best we can do is pray they stick to their word, in returning her to us alive," she commented.

He simply nodded, and kissed the top of her head. When the phone suddenly rang, Eli's heart missed a beat. These days, that particular noise filled him with both hope and dread. He watched his wife as she answered it, wondering whom it was she was talking to, and what they were saying. Within a few moments, there was a flurry of movement from those in the room, and as soon as he heard someone say they had found Leyna, he was up and rushing out the door along with them.

As he and Sarah rode in the back of one of the police cars, he held her hand in his, both of them anxious to see their daughter. When Sarah felt how tightly Eli held her hand, she glanced over at him, and could see on his face just how badly this was tearing him up. He rarely let his emotions show, so it was a relief to her to know he was in fact just as upset over all of this as she was. "It looks like they're just up ahead," the driver suddenly informed them, and the two strained to see what was happening.

As soon as the car stopped, they both jumped out of the vehicle, and could see a group of paramedics crouched around what they assumed to be their daughter. The two of them attempted to walk over to see her, when another policeman stopped them. "We need you two to keep back for now," he said, holding his hands up.

"Fuck off, that is my daughter over there! I can damn well see her if I want to!" Eli protested, and tried to get around the man standing in front of him, but was unsuccessful.

"Please, just let us walk over there. We'll keep our distance," Sarah quietly added.

Just then, before anything else could be said, they saw her being lifted up on a stretched, and placed in the back of the ambulance there on the scene. The urgency behind their getting her to the hospital worried the two of them. "I'll bring you to the hospital," the officer who had driven them said, and the three of them got back in the vehicle.

**)))))**

"Dr Michaelson? Mrs. Michaelson?" a voice said, bringing Eli and Sarah out of their thoughts. They looked up, and found one of the doctors standing there, and immediately stood up. "I'm Dr. Robertson," he introduced himself, and shook their hands.

"How is Leyna, sir?" Sarah immediately asked.

A grave expression crossed his face. "She's in pretty bad shape. It's a miracle she's alive, with all the abuse she clearly went through."

"But she's going to be alright, isn't she?" Eli inquired.

Dr. Robertson hesitated, before stating, "At this point, that is still uncertain. It is apparent she had been where you found here for quite some time, and as a result has gotten a serious case of pneumonia. With how weak her system is right now from everything…really, only time will tell."

Both Eli and Sarah's hearts stopped at this. Was losing their only daughter suddenly a strong possibility? Even after everything they did, and went through? HOW? "Can we at least see her?" Sarah asked, desperately needing to see Leyna.

"For a few minutes, yes. We gave her some medication to help her get much-needed deep, undisturbed sleep, so whatever you do, don't wake her," Dr. Robertson replied, and when they both nodded, he led them to the small curtained-off area Leyna was staying in.

It was difficult for both of them to see her this way. Dark, ugly bruises marred her exposed skin, and they could see one of her eyes was swollen shut. Her left arm was encased in a bulky cast, while her right foot had been placed in a boot. An oxygen mask covered her nose and mouth, and they could hear her raspy struggles to gasp for air. "God, I can't bear seeing her like this," Sarah choked out as tears threatened to escape her eyes. It was true her workplace forced her to see these sorts of things on a normal basis, making her immune to these gruesome sights, but when it involved her daughter…it turned into a whole different story.

"We have to stay strong for her," Eli murmured as he hugged Sarah to him. When he pulled away, he stepped closer to Leyna, and reached down to take her good hand in his. He was surprised when he felt her hand close around his, and tightened his own hold on hers, his mind suddenly taking him back twenty years earlier, as he stood in that same hospital, holding his newborn daughter for the very first time. It suddenly dawned on him how much she meant to him, and how without her, his life would no longer have meaning.

"We need you two to come back out of the room now," Dr. Robertson informed them, holding open the door for them. Reluctantly, Eli let go of her hand, and walked back out of the room. "At this point, I would recommend you two head on home, and get some rest. I'm sure this whole ordeal has taken quite a toll on you, and unfortunately, we cannot allow her to have any visitors while she is under such critical watch."

"I'm not leaving her," Sarah stated.

"Mrs. Michaelson-"

"Don't bother, doctor. Even if I cannot see her, I am not leaving my daughter, and that is that. I'll stay in the waiting room the entire night, if need be. If her condition worsens, I want to be here during her last hours, not at home," Sarah replied stubbornly.

Dr. Robertson respectfully gave a nod. "You're free to stay in the waiting room, if you wish. I will inform you both as soon as we have some form of update," he informed them, and made his way back down the hallway.

"Sarah, are you sure you don't want to take a taxi home?" Eli asked quietly.

Sarah looked up at him. "You can go home if you want, Eli, but I'm not doing that. I'm not leaving her."

He nodded. "Well, I'm going to at least head to the house to pick up the car and a couple things, and grab something to eat. Would you like for me to get you anything?"

"Maybe a book, and something more comfortable to change into. As far as food goes, I'm not hungry, but a soda would be nice."

"I'll be right back," he stated, and gave her a kiss. "Call me if you hear anything while I'm gone."

"I will," she replied, and he headed down to the lobby to phone a taxi.

**(((((**

Eli stifled a yawn as he poured himself a cup of coffee. Aside from a few dozes here and there, he had not slept at all the previous night. Anytime he tried to get some sleep, his mind filled with horrific images of what he envisioned had happened to Leyna. He knew the same could be said about Sarah. As he walked back over to where she was sitting, he took in the dark circles under her eyes, and the weary expression on her face. These past two days had been a living hell.

"I thought you might want a cup as well," he commented as he held out the second cup he was holding.

Sarah looked up at him. "Thank you," she replied as she took it from him. "I need something to help wake me up."

"I know how you feel. I don't think I could have gotten any sleep last night no matter how hard I tried," he said as he sat down next to her.

"I just wish we could hear something on how she's doing," Sarah added with a weary sigh, and took a sip of the rich coffee.

"I do too, Sarah. I do too," Eli replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and taking a drink of his own coffee.

As they finished their drinks, they sat there in silence, watching more people trickle into the waiting room as they anticipated an update on Leyna's condition. When Sarah saw Dr. Robertson enter the room, she nudged Eli, who had nodded off. He immediately sat upright and looked around, wondering what had awoke him, when he saw Dr. Robertson as well. "Good morning, you two," he greeted them. "You stuck around after all. I'm surprised by that."

"Cut to the chase, doctor. How is she?" Eli demanded, not in the mood for small talk.

"Well. She still has much more recovering to do…but it appears she has made some vast improvements overnight, and it is looking like she should pull through just fine." Relief washed over Eli and Sarah, as they hugged one another. "However, she is still very sick. The possibility of her health going south is still there, so she will remain in the ICU and under heavy watch at least until tomorrow."

"Can we see her?"

"The nurses are helping her shower at the moment, but once she is back in bed, I can have one of them come get you."

"That would be wonderful," Sarah replied, and they both gave Dr. Robertson their thanks before he walked away. "Oh, I'm so relieved," she added as she once more hugged Eli. Eli simply hugged her back, unable to put into words how he felt at that moment.

Five minutes later, a young woman collected them, and brought them to the Intensive Care Unit. "Now, we just gave her, her medicine, so she will more than likely be pretty drowsy, but, when I left the room she was still awake." Leading them into the area reserved specifically for those being attended to in the ICU, she added, "You both are welcome to stay until she has her next check-up. Just make sure there are only two visitors at a time if anyone else comes to visit."

They both thanked her, and walked into the small area Leyna was staying in. Although it was evident she was far from well, she did in fact look much better than she had the previous night. The skin which was not bruised had a healthier color to it, and the mask they had put on her to help her breathe had been replaced with a tube. When she looked at them, her good eye had a dull, almost lifeless look within it. "Hi honey," Sarah said as tears once more came to her eyes and walked over to the bed, sitting in the chair next to it as she took Leyna's hand in hers.

"Hi," Leyna said in return, her voice nothing more than a raspy whisper.

"How are you feeling?" Sarah asked.

"I don't know, the medicines are kicking in," she commented, making both Sarah and Eli grin. They were glad to see she still had her sense of humor, despite everything she had been through. "I really missed you both," she added, squeezing Sarah's hand.

"We missed you too, honey," Sarah replied as she placed her free hand over Leynas.

"I…I didn't know if I would see you again," Leyna added, her chin quivering as she tried hard not to cry. "I was so scared," she choked out, and quickly swiped away the tear which had fallen down her temple.

"We're here now, Leyna. You safe now, and no one can hurt you," Eli said in a soothing voice, and she nodded.

"I know, dad, I know. It's stupid for me to be acting like this," Leyna replied, wiping away the extra tears which has escaped her eye.

"It's not stupid at all, honey. You just went through a traumatic experience. You have every right to feel this way," Sarah reassured her.

Leyna simply smiled weakly in response. When she looked back up at Eli, his heart went out to her. She did not deserve the torture which had been inflicted upon her, and he made a promise at that moment to never let something like this happen to her ever again.


	6. Chapter 6

After two weeks, and one day spent in the police station, the three of them would finally be back home once more. Currently being chauffeured home by one of the police officers, Sarah glanced over at Leyna and Eli, the site of them warming her to the core. He had both arms protectively around her, and his cheek was pressed to the top of her head as he let his fingers idly run through her hair. Leyna, oblivious to all of this, was fast asleep. "How does it feel to have her back?" Sarah asked quietly, bringing Eli out of his thoughts.

Straightening up, he stopped what he was doing and replied, "I'm just glad this is all over. My sleep schedule has been completely off, and I don't even want to think about the work I will have to make up for my days off." When Sarah remained silent, he looked back over at her, and saw the expression on her face. "What?"

"Is that all you have to say?"

"What would you like for me to say, then, Sarah? Hmm?" he demanded, trying his best to keep quiet and not raise his voice. Leyna had been through enough. The last thing she needed was to hear them two arguing.

"It would be nice to hear you say you are grateful to have your daughter back, alive and overall well. This could have ended much worse, yet you seem to not care."

"Well of course I'm glad to have her back."

"Are you sure she knows that?"

Eli felt as though he had been slapped in the face when she said this. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Not once have I heard you in any form say to her that you missed her."

"Have I not been by her side the entire time? Does that not mean anything?"

"It's not just about your actions, Eli. She needs to hear these things." In a gentler voice, Sarah continued, "I know you're glad to have her back, but if you don't voice these feelings, I don't know if she will know it. Leyna is sensitive, and doesn't read your actions the way I do. Look at her, Eli. Look at your daughter. She isn't going to be here forever, and neither are you. You need to utilize the time you have with her wisely." He looked down at Leyna, giving a small smile at the way her angelic face was upturned toward him, and traced a finger along her cheek. Despite the lack of affection he may have shown her in the past, in reality he loved her more than anything else in this world, and the mere sight of her made his heart swell with pride and joy.

"I know it's something I need to work on," he murmured, still looking at Leyna. "I've never been comfortable in revealing my feelings, though. You know that, dear."

"I know, honey," Sarah said softly. "And I know it won't be easy, but I think you at least trying to change isn't asking too much. If nothing else, do it for Leyna. She alone should be worth it."

Eli nodded. "You both are, love. I promise, from now on I am going to try and make changes."

"That is all I ask," Sarah replied with a smile. He smiled back, and leaned over to kiss her lovingly.

"Alright, we're back at your house," the police officer who had been driving the car announced.

"Leyna, darling, wake up," Eli said in a soft tone as he gently shook his daughter.

Her good eye fluttered open, and she blinked a couple of times before sitting up. "Are we home?" he mumbled, wiping the sleep from her eye.

"Yes we are. Now come on, you need to get some rest as the doctor instructed you," Eli replied as he got out of the car, and helped her scoot over to the open door.

"Here, let me get the wheelchair-" Sarah started to say, when Eli suddenly lifted her out of the car.

"I can bring her in. She's going straight to bed, so getting it out now would be pointless," Eli commented as he kicked the door shut, and proceeded to carry Leyna inside. Still tired, Leyna closed her eye as she rested her head on his shoulder, and let out and quiet yawn.

"Where would you like for me to stay?" the police officer asked once they were all inside.

"What do you mean?" Eli asked, turning around to look at him.

"I was told I was supposed to stay here overnight and keep watch over the house as a safety precaution."

"I don't recall agreeing to this," Eli commented.

"I asked them to send someone," Sarah quietly explained. "Just for tonight, anyway."

"Fine, he can stay out in his car."

"With how cold it is outside? Don't be ridiculous, Eli," Sarah protested as she turned on a living room lamp. "You can stay in here," she added, aiming this at the police officer.

"Well thank you ma'am," he said with a nod. Sarah simply smiled.

Seeing he had no say in this matter, Eli remained silent as he carried Leyna up to her room. "Is there anything you need? Or anything I can help you with?" he asked once he sat her down on her bed.

She shook her head. "I think I can handle it from here. I'm pretty tired, so I'm going to just go to bed. Thank you, though."

"You're welcome, darling," he replied, and hesitated before pulling her into his arms for a hug. She immediately wrapped her own arms around him, her cheek pressed tightly to his chest, and he closed his eyes as he breathed in the sweet scent of her hair. "I missed you so much, sweetheart, and I am so glad to have you back home," he whispered.

"I missed you too, dad," she whispered back, and gave him a squeeze before pulling away.

He once more hesitated, before adding, "You know I love you, right?"

"Yeah, I always figured way deep down, you secretly loved me just a little bit," she said teasingly, and he could not help but to laugh. "Why do you ask?" she inquired.

"I just feel like I never said it enough in the last, that's all. After going through this whole ordeal, I think there are some changes I need to make."

Leyna smiled at him. "Well for future reference – I love you no matter what," she stated, and he could not help but to smile at this. "Night dad," she added, and leaned forward to kiss his cheek.

"Goodnight, love," he replied, and kissed her forehead before exiting her room to head to his own bedroom. It had been a long day, and at that moment all he wanted was some deep, undisturbed sleep.

It was around three that morning when a piercing scream awoke both Eli and Sarah from their sleep. "What's going on?" Sarah asked.

"I don't know," Eli mumbled, still half asleep. When he heard another scream, though, he quickly woke up, and cried out, "Oh god, its Leyna!" The two of them shot out of bed, and ran to her bedroom door just as the police officer dashed up the steps. Luckily, her door was unlocked, and they all rushed into the room. Despite no trace of anyone else being in the room, she proceeded to scream bloody murder. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Eli pulled her up to a sitting position, and could see she was still asleep. "Leyna? Leyna, wake up," he said as he gently shook her.

"Sweetie, please wake up," Sarah added as she stood next to them, and held her hand.

"Both the bedroom and bathroom are clear. No signs of any form of intrusion," the police officer informed them. "I'm going to head back downstairs," he added, and Sarah gave him a nod before he exited the room.

Eli continued to shake Leyna, trying his best to wake her, but when this was unsuccessful, he resorted to giving her a quick slap across the cheek. Her screaming stopped when her eye immediately flew open, and she looked wildly. "Leyna, calm down. Everything's okay," he softly comforted her, and when she finally realized she was no longer dreaming, she burst into tears and collapsed against Eli. "It was probably just a nightmare," he commented to Sarah as he held Leyna to him. "If you want to go lie back down, love, I'll get her calmed down."

Sarah was brought back by this. He must have been taking what she said earlier to heart, because in the past he would have never offered to do something like that. "Are you sure?"

Eli nodded. "You need sleep worse than I do, anyway. I'll be in there in a few," he replied, and brought his attention back to Leyna one Sarah had left the room. "It's okay, love. Everything is just fine, now, I'm here," he cooed, and softly shushed her as he gently rocked back and forth. It took a while, but he finally managed to calm her down, to where her sobs were nothing more than sniffles.

"I think that has to be one of the most realistic dreams I have ever experienced," she commented when she finally pulled away, and used the collar of her nightshirt to wipe away her tears. "Did I wake mom up, too?" He nodded. "Sorry," she said in an embarrassed tone.

"You don't need to apologize to be, sweetheart. You can't help the dreams you have," he reassured her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Are you alright now?"

She nodded. "Yes, thank you." He smiled at her, and was about to get up, when she grabbed the sleeve of his shirt and said, "No wait!"

He looked back at her, a frown on his face. "What is it?"

Leyna hesitated, before asking, "Would you please stay in here with me, just until I fall asleep? Please?"

His immediate reaction was to say no, but seeing the fear on her face, he just could not do so. "Scoot over," he said, and sat next to her there on the bed. "Just until you fall asleep. Understood?"

She nodded. "Thank you, dad."

"You're welcome. Now go to sleep," he replied, and twirled a strand of her hair around his finger as he watched her slowly drift back to sleep. He looked down at the purple, swollen eye and the bulky cast on her wrist, the site of how weak and beaten she looked making him feel both sadness and anger. It both broke his heart to know she had dealt with that kind of torment, and made him want to inflict physical pain upon whoever even thought of putting their hands on his daughter. As he continued to idly toy with her hair, he did not notice his eyes getting heavier with each passing second, and before he knew it he was sound asleep next to her.

The following morning, when Sarah awoke and found the space next to her empty, she immediately panicked. "Eli?" she called out as she got out of bed, and remembered he had stayed with Leyna after her nightmare the previous night. She walked into her bedroom, and relief filled her when she found him lying next to Leyna, both of them sleeping peacefully. She simply stood there, watching them for a moment and appreciating the tender sweetness which came from the site of them lying there, and finally walked over to the bed, gently shaking Eli in order to wake him.

He awoke with a start, looking around the room in confusion. "Why am I in Leyna's room?" he mumbled with a frown.

"I don't know, why don't you tell me?" Sarah asked in an amused tone.

When it finally dawned on him, he muttered as he sat up, "I must have fallen asleep while waiting for Leyna to fall asleep. Sorry, I hope you weren't worried."

"I was at first, but seeing how adorable you looked just now, I'm willing to let it go," she replied, and playfully ruffled his soft hair.

"That is the last thing I want to hear," he grumbled as he stood up, and arched his back to stretch out the stiffness in his joints.

"What is so wrong with that?"

Eli paused for a moment. "Nothing, really. It's quite understandable, actually. I mean, she did inherit my English charm, after all, so when you combine the two of us, it's bound to happen," he replied cheekily.

"You're a mess," Sarah laughed, and playfully swatted his arm. "I'm going to make breakfast. Care to join me?"

"I would love to," Eli replied with a grin, and took her hand in his as the two of them headed downstairs to start the day.


	7. Chapter 7

"Okay, dad, I think I've come across an answer you are going to have to look at," Leyna commented.

Eli glanced up at her. "That bad, huh?"

She laughed at this. "No, it's not bad. I think it is the way they worded themselves. I cannot quite tell if it is correct or not."

"Alright, bring it over here," he replied, and she brought the test over to him. He read the question, and then the answer. "I do see what you mean," he commented, and re-read over them both a couple more times before adding, "Give them half credit. There were two points I was looking for, and the one they clearly did not mention at all."

"Works for me," she replied, and thanked him before taking her seat at the second small desk in his office and went back to work on grading tests.

Eli glanced over at Leyna, a small smile coming to his face as he watched her for a moment. For two months now, she had been diligently helping him with his work. He was actually glad he had agreed to let her assist him around the classroom, for she was proving to be far more helpful than he had anticipated. She was a quick learner, and he was pleasantly surprised when he discovered just how knowledgeable of this particular field of study she was. He had always assumed she did not understand, when in reality she was simply not interested.

"It's too quiet in here. Is it okay if I turn on some music?" she suddenly asked.

"Go right ahead," he replied, and she switched on the small radio she had brought in the previous week. Immediately, the office was filled with the sound of Rod Stewart quietly playing, and Eli found his foot tapping along with the beat.

"Were you a fan of him back in the day?" she asked casually. He found it amusing at how interested she was in his musical taste.

"I was, and still am a fan of Mr. Stewart," he informed her, and they shared a smile before going back to what they had been working on.

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and before Eli had time to say anything the person barged into the room. "Eli, we need to talk," the young girl said to him, what she said making Leyna frown. Who was she, and why was she calling him by his first name? He never allowed students to refer to him as Eli.

"Beth, what are you doing here?" he asked, clearly uncomfortable with her presence.

She went to say something, when she finally noticed Leyna, and scoffed as she commented, "Is this why you've been ignoring me? You found a new slut to fuck, so I'm old news?"

Leyna's eyes grew wide, and her jaw dropped when she said this. Was she hearing this correctly? Was her father actually cheating on her mom with one of his students? "Beth, please don't do this-" he started to say, when she cut him off.

"No, I want her to hear this, so she can know what a piece of shit you are," she spat at him, clearly beyond being upset.

Suddenly, all eyes were on Leyna. "Dad…what's going on?" she asked quietly, looking back and forth between the two of them.

It was now Beth's turn to be surprised. "Oh god…you're his daughter, aren't you?" she asked, a look of horror on her face. When she looked back over at Eli, she could see the anger etched on his features, and knew she had royally fucked up. "I-I'm so sorry," she stammered, and quickly walked back out of the room.

When Eli looked over at Leyna, he could see a look of hurt, anger and confusion in her eyes. "I suppose I should start doing some explaining, huh?" he commented quietly.

"Don't bother. I don't want to hear it," she said coldly.

When she stood up and began to gather up her things, he asked, "Where are you going?"

"I don't know yet, but I do know I need to get out of here."

"Leyna, please don't do this," he said, and gently grasped her arm.

"Don't touch me!" she yelled, and tried to pull away, but he had tightened his hold on her, so that she could not go anywhere. She continued to struggle against him, but eventually gave up, and went limp when he pulled her to him. "Why, dad? Just tell me why," she said wearily, suddenly exhausted.

"It was a foolish and horrid thing for me to do, I know, and I am beyond upset with myself for doing this to you and your mother. I don't blame you if you hate me now, but please believe me when I say I am so sorry."

"Oh dad, I don't hate you," she reassured him, and finally returned the embrace. "It's just…everything had been going so well around the house. This is going to completely mess that up."

"I know, love, I know, and I am sorry. If I could take it back, I would."

Once she finally pulled away, she quietly asked him, "How long has this lasted?"

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, he admitted, "About two months. I have not done anything with her since before I went to Stockholm, though." She simply nodded. "Thank you."

She frowned. "For what?"

"For being so forgiving. I really don't deserve it," he commented.

"I am willing to forgive you as long as you tell mom everything. You know as well as I do she deserves to know the truth."

Eli nodded. "I will tonight as soon as she gets home." He hesitated, before adding, "Are you still wanting to leave? I was rather hoping you would accompany me to lunch, but if you don't want to, I'll understand completely."

She gave a small smile, and reassured him, "Since you sort of talked me down, I think I can handle joining you." He smiled back, and walked over to his desk to grab his keys. As he did so, she added, "You know something, dad? This look suits you."

He glanced down at what he was wearing, and looked back up at her with a frown. "And what look might that be?"

"The look which makes you less intimidating and more loving."

Touched by this, Eli simply smiled at her and kissed the top of her head before placing his hand on the small of her back to lead her out of the room.

**)))))**

When Leyna noticed Eli was pacing, she asked him, "Dad, are you okay?"

Eli stopped and looked over at her. "I'm fine. I…I guess I'm a little nervous, that's all," he admitted.

Standing up, she walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Mom is an understanding person. I know she'll be hurt and mad, but I think once the initial shock wears off, she'll forgive you."

He gave her a small smile. "I sure hope you are right."

She smiled back and gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Do you want me to be out of the house tonight?" she asked.

"It would probably be best, yes. Is there a friend you could stay with? If not, I can get you a hotel room-"

"Dad, that won't be necessary. I have a friend I can stay with."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. "I already talked to Jerry earlier, and he was okay with it." When a confused look came to his face, she explained, "I told him you and mom had some things you needed to discuss, and that my not being around might not be the best, so I asked if I could stay at his place, and he was alright with it. I…I hope you don't mind me explaining the situation to him. I didn't go into detail or anything, but I made it apparent things aren't the best right now."

Had it been anyone else, Eli would have been livid, but he actually liked her friend Jeremy. "No, no, it's okay. Since it was him, it's fine, but please refrain from telling anyone else. I would rather not have the entire neighborhood knowing of your mother and I's marital problems."

Leyna nodded. "I won't, I promise. I guess I'll go ahead and pack a bag, then."

"Okay," he replied, and watched her as she disappeared up the steps. A part of him was grateful of her not being at the house when he did tell Sarah, while at the same time he wished she would be there to help him get through this. _"You cannot rely on your daughter for this, Eli. _You_ fucked up, now _you _have to fix it,"_ he thought to himself, and hoped everything turned out for the best.


	8. Chapter 8

"There is something wrong with this picture," Jeremy commented as he walked into the kitchen.

Leyna glanced up at him. "What do you mean?" she asked, looking back down at the meal she was preparing.

"I'm the host, here. I should be making the meal, not you," he explained as he reached into the refrigerator to grab something to drink.

"Would you care to finish this, then?" she offered.

"Oh, that is so sweet of you, but I would really rather not throw off what you have already made," he replied, his comment making her laugh.

"Well, then consider this my thanks for letting me stay here."

Jeremy simply smiled at this, and kissed her cheek. "So how do you think things are going to go between your parents after this?"

Leyna sighed. "I really do not know at this point. I would like to think everything will be okay, but, things have been far from okay for years now, so…I kind of see this as being the last straw."

"Yeah, but your mom is pretty forgiving, right?" She nodded at this. "I think she'll forgive your dad. I can see her wanting to 'work things out' for your sake."

Leyna gave a small smile at this. "I sure hope you are right. I know my parent's relationship is far from being anywhere near perfect, but I always figured deep down they genuinely loved each other. Now, with dad cheating…I don't know anymore what to think."

"Don't think that way, Lee. No one is perfect, including your dad. I'm not trying to condone his actions, but, you have to remember we all fuck up, some worse than others. I think the fact he is willing to tell your mom about it says pretty clearly he does care about your mom to a certain extent," Jeremy said in an attempt to make her think more positively.

"My thing is, though, what if I hadn't been there? Would he still have done this?"

"Give your dad some credit, Leyna. He is a changed man, whether you want to notice it or not. It seems to me your kidnapping was a wake-up call for him, and since that whole ordeal he actually has a heart, and is more willing to show his sensitive side. I do think it might not have happened as soon as it did with you there, but I believe he would have eventually still told your mom, yes."

"I guess I'm being too hard on him, huh?"

"Hey, life father, like daughter," he replied, and laughed when she playfully punched his arm. "I don't necessarily mean that in a bad way. Eli has some good qualities about him."

"Right."

"Aren't you just full of love this morning?"

Leyna laughed at this. "I'm only kidding, I know he can be okay when he wants to be, and I love him regardless. He _is_ the only dad I have, after all," she commented as she carried their food over to the table. As she did so, she began to wonder just how her parent's talk had gone.

**)))))**

"Is anyone home?" Leyna called out as she entered the house, and listened for some form of a response, but heard nothing. Giving a small shrug, she carried her bag upstairs into her room, and was about to head back downstairs, when she noticed Eli was in his bedroom. "Dad?" she said as she stood in the doorway.

He looked back up, clearly brought back by her presence. "Oh…Leyna. Sorry, I didn't hear you come in," he commented, his voice and facial expression a tired one.

"Everything okay?" she asked as she walked over to him, and sat down on the bed next to him. When he looked over at her with sad eyes, she added quietly, "Your talk with mom didn't go so well, did it?" Letting out a sigh, he simply shook his head. "Would you like to talk about it?"

"I thought it had gone alright," he started, looking down at the paper in his hands. "But I guess she hid from me how she really felt." He remained silent for a moment, before informing her in a voice barely a whisper, "Your mother left us, Leyna."

"What?" she said, feeling as though she had been slapped in the face. Never would she have guessed her mother would desert them. "What do you mean when you say 'left'?"

"I mean she packed up her things in the middle of the night, and left me for another man who she apparently has been lusting after for years now. In her note, she said she did not know when she would be back, but eventually she would return for the remainder of her things, and to talk to you about all of this. I knew she would be upset, but…never would I have dreamt she would do this."

"Who is the guy she left with?"

"One of her coworkers." When Eli looked back over at her, Leyna was shocked when she saw tears in his eyes. "I guess it is rather hypocritical of me to be upset, huh?"

"Oh dad," she said, and gently pulled him to her for a warm, reassuring embrace. "You have every right to be upset. This is your wife of thirty years we are talking about, afterall."

"I'm so sorry for doing this to you, Leyna," he quietly apologized as he hugged her back tightly.

"I'm not upset with you, silly. Mom chose to leave. She was the one who gave up on our family, not you." When he pulled away, she softly wiped away the few tears glistening beneath his eyes, and he simply whispered his apology once more. "Don't be," she whispered back, and kissed his cheek before standing up and heading back out of the room.

Not having groomed the slightest bit all day, Eli decided it would be best if he took a long, hot shower. He headed into the upstairs bathroom to do so, and once he was clean and in a fresh pair of pajamas, he headed back into his bedroom to call it a night. Not having slept at all the previous night, he was exhausted. As he laid there in bed, he could hear muffled noises coming from Leyna's room, but was unable to distinguish just what it was he was hearing. Just as he was about to fall asleep, he heard his door silently opening, and a dim light was cast on him. Squinting his eyes, he looked over at the doorway, and mumbled, "Leyna? What's the matter, honey?"

In a quivering voice, she stammered as her eyes brimmed with tears, "Dad, I…I…I…"

Seeing she was clearly upset, and having difficulties getting out what she wanted to say, he sat up and motioned for her to come over to him. She quickly walked over to him as she broke down, and slipped beneath the covers next to him. He held her in a tight and reassuring embrace as she sobbed loudly and freely into his shoulder, his heart breaking to see her so upset. Even after twenty years, it never got easier seeing or hearing her cry. Softly he rocked her as he cooed words of comfort in her ear, until finally he managed to calm her down. Once she pulled away, he soothingly ran a hand over her unruly hair, and murmured, "What's with the tears, love?"

"I just…feel like mom's leaving is all my fault."

Eli was dumbfounded by this. "_Your_ fault? Honey, what would ever make you feel that way?"

Looking down at her lap, Leyna shrugged. "I guess I feel like…had I been a better daughter, mom would have stayed."

"Oh Leyna," he said in a sad tone as he pulled her back to him. "Please don't think that. Your mother and I could not have asked for a more perfect daughter, and I mean that. If your mum felt like even you weren't worth sticking around, that is her loss, and a damn shame I might add. I know her leaving hurts terribly, but if it makes you feel any better, no amount of money could get me to leave you."

A smile came to her face when he said this. "You've gotten pretty good at knowing what to say to make me feel better," she commented, and it was his turn to grin. She once more snuggled into him, and Eli's arms wound around her as he softly stroked her hair. They sat there in silence, until he noticed she was lightly snoring. Looking down at her, he smiled when he saw she was fast asleep. Not wanting to wake her up, he cautiously laid her back, and pulled the covers up around her before quietly heading out of the room to sleep in the guest room.


	9. Chapter 9

**Four Months Later**

Leyna frowned when she heard the front door close. What was Eli doing home already? His classes went for another two hours.

Heading downstairs, she started to call out, "Dad, what are you-" but stopped when she saw it wasn't Eli. "Mom?"

Sarah smiled brightly at her. Leyna had to admit, she looked absolutely beautiful. The tan she had gained gave her skin a healthy glow. Her hair was fixed in a stylish hairdo which made her look ten years younger. Her eyes had a twinkle within them, and for once she looked genuinely happy. However, it pained Leyna to know neither she nor Eli were the ones who brought her such happiness. "Hello sweetheart," Sarah greeted her cheerfully, and kissed her cheek. "How have you been?"

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, Leyna shrugged. "Okay, I suppose. Just trying to get used to not having my mother in my life."

"Well I'm here now, aren't I?"

"You've been gone for four months, mom. You left without so much as a goodbye. I see that as you abandoning me."

"Leyna, you have to realize I could not stay here any longer. Finding out your father cheated was simply too much for me to take. Enough was enough. I had to leave."

"Fine, but why did you leave me? What did I do to you?"

"Give me some credit, Leyna. Staying away from you this long has not been easy for me."

"Sorry, but I am questioning just how genuine that statement is."

Leyna could see a flash of anger cross Sarah's face. "Your father seems to be rubbing off on you," Sarah commented, her voice not so friendly anymore.

"No, I'm just not too happy with you right now, that's all."

"Well then let me make it up to you, Leyna. Come move in with me and Craig. It's gorgeous where we are. I know you would love it. Here, I'll help you pack," she replied, and before Leyna had the chance to say anything, Sarah was already going up the stairs.

Following her up, Leyna stated once they were in her room, "Mom, please. Just stop."

Sarah glanced up at her from the drawer she had opened. "Stop what, honey?"

"I mean, stop trying to help me pack."

"Why? Are you too old for my help now?"

"No, it's more like I don't want to go with you."

This made Sarah finally stop. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…I want to stay here with dad," Leyna quietly explained.

Sarah scoffed at this. "Why would you want to stay here with your tyrant of a father?"

"If you would give him a chance, you would know he has changed. At least, he's trying. He isn't the same person anymore, mom."

"I refuse to give that man a second chance. Cheating is where I draw the line."

"Well, regardless I'm staying here."

"Leyna, come on. You are being irrational-"

"Mom, I am NOT being irrational. Being here with dad gives me stability, which is something I need."

"Who says you can't have stability with us?"

"It isn't just about that, though." Leyna hesitated, before adding, "As crazy as it may sound to you, I actually enjoy dad's company."

"And what about me? Are you implying you don't enjoy being with me?"

Leyna looked down when she realized the answer to this was no. "I don't think you realize how badly you hurt me, mom. I…I don't know anymore how I feel about being around you," she admitted quietly.

"I can't believe I'm hearing this," Sarah stated, the hurt and anger she was feeling evident in her voice. "This is the thanks I get? After all I have done for you, and all the support I have given you over the years, this is how you repay me? You choose your douche bag of a father over me?"

"Mom, you know I appreciate what you have done for me-"

"I know what this is. This is your father's handiwork. That bastard filled your head full of lies, and turned you against me. I never thought that asshole would stoop to that level."

Suddenly angered by this, Leyna shot back, "Would you quit dragging dad into this? This has nothing to do with him, and everything to do with me and you. He didn't do anything to make me dislike you this much – you managed to do that all on your own."

Enraged, Sarah suddenly reached out and slapped her as hard as she could across the face. "I'm glad to know my daughter turned into such a selfish, spoiled brat," she stated angrily, and hastily snatched up her purse. "Have a nice life. Don't expect to ever hear from me again, you ungrateful little bitch," Sarah added, and stormed out of the room. Completely in shock, Leyna finally sat down when she heard the front door slam shut.

Did that really happen?

Tears came to her eyes as it began to dawn on her that her mother once more walked out of her life, this time for good. With trembling hands, she picked up her cell phone, and dialed in a number.

After three rings, a voice answered, "Doctor Eli Michaelson speaking."

"Dad?" she said, stopping when she heard how badly her voice was cracking with emotion.

"Leyna?"

"Dad, can you come home?"

"What's the matter?"

"Mom came by, and…and…dad, please just come home. I don't want to be alone right now."

There was a pause. "Are you still at the house?"

"Yes."

"Stay where you are. I'm on my way, alright?"

"Okay," she said in a tiny voice, and they both bid their farewells before hanging up. Standing up, Leyna headed downstairs to the living room, where she restlessly paced as she replayed in her mind over and over again what had just happened. What had gone so horribly wrong? Just how serious had Sarah been when she made that last painful statement?

All these questions coursed through Leyna's head, sucking her into her own little world, so when Eli walked into the room, she didn't notice him. "Leyna?" he said, softly touching her shoulder. She jumped, and let out a startled cry when he did so, stepping back in surprise. As soon as she saw it was Eli, however, she immediately flung herself against him. Remaining silent, Eli simply held her tightly to him. Feeling how badly she was trembling, he assumed whatever had happened really upset her. Eventually, he gently pulled her back, and said in a soft tone, "Tell me what happened."

Taking her hand in his, he led her over to the couch, where they sat down. She hesitated at first, but eventually told him all which had happened, from Sarah coming into the house to her calling him. Gently grasping her chin, Eli turned her head so he could better see her cheek, which was still swollen and already beginning to bruise. She flinched when touched it. "It's still sore," she explained.

He pulled his hand back. "I'm so sorry this happened to you. I feel like I am partially to blame."

"Dad, you're not the one who struck me, or said those things."

"Yes, but I feel as though your mother was taking the frustration she is harboring toward me out on you."

Leyna simply shrugged, and there was a moment of silence before she commented, "I have never seen that side of mom before. What I saw today…it scared me."

"Your mother is good at hiding it, but she definitely has one hell of a temper," Eli explained.

"So I noticed," she muttered. "It was not her insulting me which bothered me, though. What really upset me was her speaking so negatively about you." Eli was brought back when he saw the tears which had come to her eyes. "It hurt me so much, because I felt as though she was not giving you any credit for the changes you have made, and I don't think that is fair. You've changed so much, and I am so proud of you, and…and…"

When he saw she was close to crying, he pulled her into a loving embrace, touched by her words. How could anyone be so cruel to such a caring individual? Leyna did not deserve this; especially not from her mother. Once she finally pulled away, he commented, "Just remember, at the end of the day you still have me. I'm truly sorry your mother has abandoned you like this, but I hope you know I would never do that to you."

Leyna smiled weakly at him. "I love you, dad."

Eli never grew tired of hearing her say that. "I love you too, darling," he replied, and lightly rumpled her hair. "Feel better?"

She nodded. "I'm sorry for making you come home from work like this over something so petty."

"You don't have to apologize. Your well-being is far more important. Although, if it makes you feel any better, I only had one class left, and all they had was a test, so finding someone to cover for me was not difficult."

"That does make me feel better, actually," she commented.

Eli chuckled at this, and when he heard her stomach suddenly growl loudly, he asked, "Hungry?"

"Perhaps a little, yeah. I was actually about to go get something to eat when this whole ordeal happened."

"Why don't I cook something instead?"

"Oh, you don't have to-"

"Well I know I don't have to. I am offering because I want to. Besides, it is pointless for you to spend your money on food when we have plenty here," he stated, and led her into the kitchen.


	10. Chapter 10

"Hey dad, could you do me a favor?" Leyna asked, standing in the doorway of Eli's bathroom.

"What's that?" Eli inquired as he put away the comb he had been using.

"I cannot for the life of me get this necklace clasped. Could you help me?"

"Oh lord," Eli muttered, making her smirk. "Alright, I'll try. Now turn around."

She handed him the necklace, and turned to where her back was facing him, holding her hair up as she did so. It took a couple of tries, but he eventually managed to get it hooked. "Thank you," she said as she once more faced him, and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

"You're welcome. You look nice," he commented when he finally noticed her outfit. With a frown, he asked, "Where are you going?"

"I have that new job I'm starting. Remember?"

"Oh, yes, now I do. Well, good luck. I hope it goes well."

She smiled at this. "Thanks dad. I'll see you tonight."

"Bye love," he replied, with a wave, and watched her as she walked off. His little girl was not little anymore.

"Hi, can I help you?" a woman sitting behind the front counter greeted Leyna as she walked through the front door.

"Yes, today is supposed to be my first day starting here-"

"Oh! You must be the new secretary they hired on."

Leyna gave a small smile. "Yes ma'am, I am."

"Well come on around here, honey. I've been looking forward to meeting you," the lady said cheerfully, and Leyna joined her behind the counter. "It's nice having someone else around to talk to again. I'm Nancy."

"Leyna, it's lovely to meet you," Leyna said as she sat down in the empty chair, and shook her hand.

"Now, you have filled out all your paperwork and whatnot, correct?"

"Yes, they had me come in the other day to do so."

Nancy was about to say something, when the door to one of the offices opened. "Todd! Come say hi to our new addition to the team."

Leyna glanced at the man Nancy had been talking to, and tried her best to keep from gawking as he walked over to them. The immediate attraction she felt toward him hit her so hard it took her breath away. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Todd," he greeted her, holding out his hand and flashing a smile which turned her insides to mush.

"Leyna. It's lovely to meet you as well," she said in return, and shook his hand. "Are you one of the doctors who work here?"

"What would have given you that impression?" he asked, and winked as he gave her a smirk. "I am, yes."

"Don't expect to see much of his shining face around here, though. This is just a side job for him," Nancy spoke up, her comment making Leyna grin.

"You worded it so wonderfully," Todd stated sardonically. Leyna enjoyed his dry sense of humor. "I don't know, though…with such a pretty girl working here now, I just might have to start putting in more hours around here," he added, his comment making Leyna blush.

"And seeing me wasn't enough of an incentive for you? Bastard," Nancy said in a fake hurt voice, and playfully hit him with the mail she had been holding. "Here is your mail, your first appointment is at nine, now take your ass back into the other room."

"Oh Nancy, you know you're my favorite coworker."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Nancy muttered, making Todd chuckle.

"Leyna, it was a pleasure meeting you," he stated, looking at Leyna as he said this, and flashed another smile before heading back into his office.

"He seems nice," Leyna commented once Todd was gone.

"Yeah, Todd's a good guy. A real sweetheart."

"Was that sarcasm?"

Nancy laughed at this. "No, no, I was being serious. He really is a great guy. Were I not married, I know I would date him. It's a shame a man like him isn't taken, but that's neither here nor there. Let's get going on training you."

As Leyna listened intently to all Nancy had to say, in the back of her mind she could not help but to think about Todd.

"Dad, are you home?" Leyna called out as she shut the front door behind herself.

"I'm in the kitchen, darling," Eli called out to her, and she made her way into the kitchen.

"Well aren't you turning into quite the little housewife," Leyna quipped when the site of Eli diligently cooking supper greeted her.

"Hello to you as well, sweetheart," he replied with a chuckle as he leaned over to kiss the top of her head, his comment making her grin. "How was work?"

"It went really well, actually," she said as she sat her purse off to the side. "Do you need help?"

"No, I've got this all under control. Thank you, though. Now tell me about the people you work with."

"Well, there's Nancy, the other secretary who trained me. She was real nice, and funny as well. I loved working with her. As far as the doctors go, I only met two of the four who work there."

"And what did you think of them?"

"The woman, Dr. Anderson, was quiet, but really nice and patient with me, which I really appreciated. The man, Dr. Harris…well, let's just say he made the day that much more interesting," Leyna replied, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling as she once more thought of Todd. Something told her he alone was going to make working there worth her time.


	11. Chapter 11

Just as Leyna finished towel-drying her hair, she could hear her phone beginning to ring. Walking into her bedroom, she frowned when she saw it was her work calling. "Hello?"

"Leyna, it's Todd."

"Hey Todd. Is everything alright?"

"Not exactly. Nancy just called in sick, and I was wondering, if you aren't busy, if you would be willing to cover for her. If not, I can manage without. It would just be a big help having someone else here, that's all."

Leyna glanced up at the clock hanging on her wall. "I just stepped out of the shower, so I will need some time to get ready, and whatnot. Give me about an hour, or so?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I don't mind at all. Like I said, I just need some time to get ready, and I will be there as soon as I can."

"Take your time, there's no rush. Thank you so much, Leyna. I really appreciate this."

She smiled at this. "You're welcome, Todd. I'll see you in a little bit," she replied, and they said their good-byes before hanging up.

As soon as Leyna walled into the office, Todd said, "Thank you again. You have no idea how much I truly appreciate you doing this."

"You don't have to thank me, Todd. I don't mind helping out if I can," she replied.

He smiled at this. "Well, it is nice to know I can count on you," he commented, and touched her shoulder before heading into his office. As she watched him walk away, her heart fluttered as she thought about that beautiful smile, and how soft his touch had been. What was he doing to her?

Throughout the remainder of the day, the two of them fell into their usual routine. While a patient was there, they both worked diligently on doing their jobs, and doing it well. During downtime, they managed to pick up small conversations from time to time. Before either one knew it, Todd's last appointment came and went, granting them permission to finally leave.

"I'm going to go ahead and go, if that is alright," Leyna informed Todd.

He looked up from the papers he had been reading over. "Okay." She gave a small smile, and waved before heading back to the front desk to grab her things. Just as she slung her purse over her shoulder, she heard Todd's voice say, "You know, I was wondering if you were doing anything after this."

She glanced up, and found him standing there in the doorway of his office, his gaze on her. "Were you asking me that?" With a smirk, he nodded. "No, I don't have any plans. Why do you ask?" she inquired.

"As a way of showing my thanks, I was wondering if you would possibly be willing to join me for dinner."

"You don't have to-"

"I know you did not mind covering for Nancy, but I would like to do this regardless."

Seeing the hopeful look in his eyes, she found herself unable to tell him no, and with a small smile replied, "That would be nice."

His face lit up. "Is that a yes?" he asked.

Her smile widened at this. "Yes, Todd, I am accepting your offer."

"Great! I still have a couple of things I need to go, so if you would like, you can head on over to the restaurant. I shouldn't be too much longer."

"That's fine," she replied, and once they decided on a restaurant, went their separate ways.

Twenty minutes later, Leyna was seated in a small secluded booth, waiting nervously for Todd to arrive. This would be her first time interacting with him outside of their typical work environment. How should she act? Should she remain professional? Or could she be more casual? "_Just relax, and be yourself," _a voice in her head said, but this was easier said than done. Suddenly, this seemed like a bad idea.

"I apologize for taking so long. I had a last minute phone call, and I had to take it," a voice said, bringing her out of her thoughts.

Leyna looked up just in time to see Todd slide into the seat across from her. "That's okay, I understand," she said with a smile. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything is fine. No family emergencies, or anything of that nature."

"Good."

He smiled at this, and hesitated before commenting, "You know, I was partially expecting to find you had decided to head home instead," he commented in a joking manner, although something told her he was to a certain extent serious.

"I would not do that to you," she softly replied, and reassured him of so with another smile.

He simply smiled once more in return. "Have you ordered yet?"

She shook her head. "No, I didn't think that would be too appropriate. I did go ahead and get myself a drink, though. I hope you don't mind."

"No, no, not at all," he reassured her just as the waitress walked over to them to hand them their menus and get Todd something to drink.

"Have you been here before?" she asked as they looked over their menus.

"It has been a while, but I have, yes. From my experience, their food is quite good. How about you?"

Again, she shook her head. "I have not been here before. I've wanted to, though."

"Well, now you are," he quipped, and she gave a small laugh at this.

"Since you seem to know more about this than I do, what would you recommend?"

"Lord, I'm not a regular here, Leyna." She once more laughed. "I think, however, this is what I got last time," he added, and pointed to one of the entrees.

She found the same thing on her own menu, and looked it over. "That does sound rather good. I think I will try it." Once the waitress came back to take their orders, Leyna inquired, "So tell me a little bit about yourself."

What would you like to know?" Todd asked, taking a drink of his soda.

"Have you lived here all your life?"

He shook his head. "I moved here about ten years ago from Kentucky, which is where I had up until that point lived all my life."

"Do you have family here?"

"A few of my cousins and their families live down the street from me, but as far as immediate family goes, no."

"I bet it must be difficult being so far away from them."

"At times, yes, but I at least get to see them every major holiday, and I do have some family here, which helps."

She smiled at this. "How large of a family do you come from?"

"My family is very large. I have seven brothers and sisters, and both of my parents have around the same amount of siblings."

"I can only imagine what family gatherings must be like," she quipped, and they shared a laugh.

"What about you? I still feel like I don't know much about you."

"Well, I have lived here since I was about ten. Before that, we lived in California, which I honestly don't miss. I like the cooler weather here." Todd gave a small smile at this. "As far as my family goes, I am an only child, and both of my parents came from small families as well. Since their divorce, things have grown distant between me and my mom and her family, but I'm still real close to my dad and his family."

Todd touched her hand for a brief moment, before commenting, "I'm sorry things have gotten that way with you and your mother. I wish I could say I knew what that was like, but I can't. I'm sure it must be far from easy."

She gave a small smile. "I do my best to not let it get to me. It is a long story, but ultimately after everything which happened, I would really rather not have her in my life. It hurts, sure, but what she did to me hurt more."

"I know it's none of my business, but…I hope you know, if you ever need to talk about, I would be more than willing to listen. Okay?"

She gave another smile, and nodded. "Thank you, Todd," she replied, and he smiled back.

Once the food arrived, they continued to carry on with a light conversation, aloowing each other to get a small peak into the sort of life they lived. After nearly three hours passed, they both finally noticed how late it had gotten, they decided it was time to call it a night. When given their ticket, Todd generously paid for both of their meals before they walked out to the parking lot. "Thank you again for tonight, Todd. I really had a nice time," Leyna said with a small smile as the two of them stood between their cars.

"It was my pleasure, Leyna," Todd said, smiling warmly at her. Before she had the time to say anything else, he suddenly leaned forward to kiss her. Her initial reaction was to pull back in surprise, but when she felt his fingers run through her hair, she instead leaned even more into him to deepen the kiss. They leisurely took their time getting to know the taste of the other, and indulging in the softness of the sensuous kiss, before finally pulling away.

Left in a daze, all Leyna could say as she opened her driver side door was, "G-goodnight, Todd."

He smirked at this. "Goodnight, Leyna," he replied, and winked at her before getting into his own vehicle and driving off.

Once he was gone, Leyna immediately reached into her purse to grab her cell phone, and dialed a number. After a couple of rings, someone finally answered, "Hello?"

"Jerry, are you busy?"

"Leyna, what's going on?"

"I need to talk to you about something that just happened. Would it be okay if I came over to your place?"

"Yeah, sure. You know you're welcome here, honey."

"Thank you, Jerry. I know this is short notice, and I apologize, but-"

"Leyna, quit babbling and come on over," Jeremy said with a laugh. "I'll be here."

"Okay, I'll be there in a couple of minutes," she replied, and they bid their farewells before hanging up.

Ten minutes later, Leyna was standing on his doorstep, knocking on the door to make her presence known. As soon as Jeremy opened the door, she immediately stepped into the house. "Okay, whatever is going on, I have to know. Clearly, this has you wound up," he commented as he shut the front door. Taking her hand in his, he led her over to the couch. "Now sit down, and tell me what happened."

She sat next to him on the couch, and took a deep breath, before admitting to him, "I just kissed one of the doctors from the clinic I work at."

Jeremy was clearly brought back by this. "Care to say that one more time?"

"You remember me telling you about Todd, yeah?"

"How could I not? You made him sound like a god among mortal men."

Leyna smirked at this. "Well, today he asked me to come take Nancy's spot at the desk, since she was not feeling well, which I did. After work, he offered to take me out to eat, which I accepted. After all of that, and we were standing by our cars…he all of a sudden kissed me."

"You're shitting me."

"I shit you not, Jerry. The man kissed me."

"Well I'll be damned," he said, his interest obviously perked up. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"Don't 'well what' me! Was it good? Was he a good kisser?"

"Jerry, you know I don't like talking about this stuff-"

"Honey, come on. You know you can trust me. Besides, you do NOT drop a bomb like this on me, and expect me to not want details. You have to give me a little something."

Leyna let out an exasperated sigh. "Okay, fine. He was a good kisser. A damn good kisser, at that."

Jeremy let out a small squeal of excitement. "Did he slip you the tongue?"

"Jerry!"

"Oh, come on! I could ask worse."

"For fuck's sake, if you MUST know, yes. Alright? We French kissed." Opening up a bit, she added, "It was so…perfect, really. To be honest, he was almost too good at it."

"It's about time you found yourself a man," Jeremy said with a sigh.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing! I didn't mean it in a bad way. I'm just saying, a girl like you should not be single as long as you have."

She softly smiled at this. "Well, don't get your hopes up. I know I'm not, anyway. For all I know, this could lead to nothing."

"A guy does not kiss a girl like that if he is not interested."

"And how would you know?"

"Ouch," Jeremy said in a fake hurt voice, placing a hand over his chest. "Okay, fine, let me reword myself. A person does not kiss someone else in that manner if they are not interested in that individual. There. Better?"

"Much," she replied with a grin.

"I mean it, though. If Todd were not at the least slightly attracted to you, why would he do that? I don't get what the motive would be for him to play tonsil hockey with you if he didn't want to get in your pants."

"Oh, you have such a way with words," she stated sarcastically, making Jeremy smirk. Growing serious, she added quietly, "I guess I fear he might be trying to use me."

"You have some serious trust issues, sweetie. Which is probably why you have never had a serious relationship."

"I know, I know. I don't mean to be that way. It's just how I am."

Running a hand through her hair, Jeremy stated, "Want my advice?" She nodded. "Talk to him about it. Make sure it's just you and him, though. Don't let others get involved. Shit, the last thing you want is to get fired over one small kiss."

Leyna nodded. "Lord, give me the strength to confront him about it, though," she muttered, and let out a sigh. "Thanks for the talk, Jerry. You're always such a huge help."

"Anytime, baby, now come here and give me a hug," he said as he held his arms out. Laughing, she leaned into him to hug him tightly around the neck. Once they pulled away, he added, "Can I talk you into sticking around?"

Leyna glanced down at her watch. "Oh, honey, I would, but I better get back home. You know how my dad gets. I'm sure he is already wondering where the hell I am, even though I left him a message on the answering machine."

Jeremy let out a loud sigh. "Why can you not move in here with me? Surely, you have to be tired of living at home at this point."

"Jerry, we've discussed this before. Dad's been overly protective since…you know, what happened to me. Plus, he is still not taking the divorce well. He needs someone around the house, not just to be there for him but to help do everyday chores as well. I love him to bits, but Jesus Christ, is that man a slob."

Jeremy could not help but to laugh at this. "I would hate to see that pretty house go to the dogs."

"Exactly. I want to, though. Please believe me when I say I would love to live here with you. When I do finally move out, you bet your ass I am moving in."

"Is that a promise?"

"Yes, it's a promise," she said with a smile, before heading over to the front door. "I'll text you, okay?"

Jeremy nodded. "Bye, love," he said with a small wave, and watched her as she headed back to her car.

As soon as Leyna stepped through the front door, Eli stepped into the hall. "Where the fuck have you been?" he demanded, obviously upset.

Leyna was caught off guard. "Are you so upset with me?"

"I know damn well the clinic has been closed for four hours now. Care to tell me what the hell took you so long to get home, and why you could not answer your damn phone?"

"Dad, I told you I went out to eat," she said in a soft voice, hoping by using a low voice it would calm him down.

"And just when did you supposedly tell me this?"

"The same time it came up. As soon as I got out of work."

"Don't lie to me, Leyna. I might be old, but I'm not senile. I would have remembered you telling me something like that."

Her own temper flaring slightly, stated curtly, "Apparently not", and reached over to turn on the answering machine, letting it play her unheard message.

Eli's anger immediately vanished as soon as he heard her voice informing him she would be going out to eat with her coworker. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I am so sorry," he murmured, embarrassed by his actions. "I don't mean to overreact. I just…I worry, you know?"

Her own anger fading, Leyna said softly, "I know, dad. I know you worry." Touching his shoulder, she added, "I'm going to take a shower and call it a night."

He nodded. "Goodnight Leyna," he replied, and she kissed his cheek before walking upstairs. As she did so, her mind went back to Todd, as she wondered just what would happen as a result of the events which had occurred that evening.


	12. Chapter 12

As Leyna headed into work, her stomach filled with butterflies. This would be the first time she had seen Todd since their kiss, and she desperately longed to know what would now happen between them. Despite the fact he was well over a decade older than her, this did not hinder the attraction she felt. He was a good-looking man, with an even more appealing personality. Someone like this did not come along very often. Something told her she would regret not at least trying to make something more work between them.

"Good morning Nancy," she greeted Nancy as she made her way behind the front desk. "Feeling better today?"

"Yes, much, thank you for asking," Nancy replied, smiling weakly at her.

"Still not feeling well, though, huh?"

Nancy shook her head. "This damn cold is one hell of a fighter," she muttered, a reached for another tissue to blow her nose with.

Leyna smirked at this, when a movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. Looking over, she saw Todd walking into the clinic as well, and her smile widened. "Good morning, Todd," she greeted him.

He glanced up at her, and Leyna could immediately sense something was not right from the expression on his face. "Good morning, Leyna," he replied, giving her a slight nod before getting his mail from Nancy and disappearing into his office.

No smile.

No light conversation filled with laughter and good humor.

Nothing.

Perhaps Jeremy had been wrong. Perhaps all Todd had wanted from her was a one night stand after all, and since she did not put out, he now resented her. Masking her disappointment, she got started on implementing the tasks she needed to complete. Through the day, she argued with herself on whether or not she should confront him on this. A part of her was saying if she acted as though the kiss never happened, then perhaps things would go back to normal, while another part of her said this was something which simply could not be ignored. At the end of it all, she decided to discuss this with him. After her shift, Leyna went to the door leading to Todd's office, and hesitantly knocked. "Come in," he called out, and quietly she slipped into the room.

"Do you by any chance have a moment?" she asked softly.

She could see the hesitation on his face, but he eventually said, "Sure. Come on in." Shutting the door, she walked over to where he was, and stated, "I think we need to talk."

"About what?"

"I think you know what," she quietly commented, and saw him tense up.

"This isn't exactly the appropriate time or place-"

"Todd, please don't try to make some excuse to not discuss this. It has been eating away at me all day, and I need answers."

"And just what sort of answers are you looking for?"

"I…I want to know why you did it. Why would you kiss me like that, only to turn around and ignore my existence all throughout today? You're sending me mixed signals here, and I don't know what to feel anymore."

As he stood up, and began to put things into his briefcase, he stated, "It was a moment of weakness on my part. I let my emotions get the better of me. It was inappropriate, and I apologize for my behavior."

"Why are you apologizing for it?"

"Because it should have never happened!"

Leyna was silent for a moment as she walked closer to him, before asking, "Are you implying you regret kissing me?"

"Not necessarily. I just…" he started to say, and caught her off guard when he suddenly took her face in his hands and kissed her hard on the lips. Before she was able to get over the initial shock of what was happening and kiss him back, he pulled back and quietly stated, "I'm not supposed to have these feelings for you."

"But why?"

"You're my coworker, Leyna. While not technically against their rules, it could potentially cost one or both of us our jobs if anything were to get out of hand."

"Todd, we're both adults here. I think we can manage to keep things professional while on the job."

"You can't predict the future, Leyna. We may try to keep it professional, but you never know what may happen."

"You're right, I don't know what the future holds, but I do know what my heart is telling me, and it is saying I would be making a huge mistake if I didn't at least give this a try." She could see he was clearly brought back by her statement. "I've never felt for anyone else what I feel for you. I don't know what you're doing to me, but you make me so happy, and…just please say you'll give me a chance? Give us a chance?"

For a moment, he simply stood there staring at her, and just as she was about to leave in defeat, he kissed her once more, this time softer and more sensuous. Leyna wasted no time in returning the kiss, holding on to him as if he would disappear if she let go. Once he finally pulled away, he commented, "You know, a part of me right now is saying I am about to make a huge mistake, while another part is telling me…you're worth it."

Smiling at this, she pulled him back to her for another kiss, and could not help but wonder if he just might be the one.


	13. Chapter 13

**One Year Later**

Leyna was just about to head upstairs to get changed before meeting up with Eli, when she heard the doorbell ring. Letting out an exasperated sigh, she walked over to the front door, and frowned when she saw a petite redhead, no more than a couple of years older than she, standing there. "Can I help you?" she asked.

"Where's Eli?" the girl demanded. Before Leyna had the chance to respond, she pushed her way into the house, and stepped into the hallway. "Eli!" she called out.

"You can't force your way into someone's house," Leyna commented, her patience with this girl already wearing thin.

"Then go get Eli, I need to speak to him."

"My father is not here at the moment. Now if you will excuse me-" Leyna started to say, when the girl suddenly let out a frustrated cry, and threw one of the vases sitting on a nearby stand to the floor. "What is your problem?" Leyna exclaimed.

"Your asshole of a father is my problem!" the girl yelled. "He ruined my life!"

Leyna was brought back slightly by this. "What do you mean?"

"He lied about our affair to make himself look good, and make me seem like the bad guy. The school board believed him over me, so not only am I expelled, but my career and my reputation are in shambles, thanks to him," she explained.

Leyna suddenly realized it was the same girl she had seen in Eli's office; the girl who had torn their family apart. A part of her wanted to be upset with her. She was, after all, a large part of the reason the relationship she once had with her mother no longer existed. However, seeing this had affected her life she as equally made her sympathize with the girl. She was clearly suffering for her actions. "Look I'm sorry he did that to you, but-"

"I loved him, you know." Leyna remained silent, not sure of what to say. "I know it may sound crazy to you, but I did, and he had said he loved me too. The hell of it is, I believed him. I believed him when he said I was the one he wanted to be with, and I believe him when he said he would be with me forever. I guess I'm a fool for believing him, aren't I?" With tears in her eyes, she added, "He hurt me. Not only did he ruin my life, but he broke my heart. Now, it's my turn to break his."

Before anything else could be said, she reached into her pocket, and Leyna's heart stopped when she saw the gun in her hand.

By the time Eli finally headed home, his nerves were worn thin. Why did Leyna not show up as she had promised to do so? The fact she refused to answer her cell phone certainly did not help his frustration.

However, as he neared home, his anger turned to fear. What if something awful had happened to her? What if she had tried to contact him, but was unable to do so? Terrible, graphic images filled his head, and just as he was about to fear the worst, he saw Leyna's car sitting snugly in the driveway. His temped once more flared as he parked his car behind hers, and snatched up his briefcase before heading out of the car and to the front door. He expected a damn good explanation, because he was _not_ in the mood for a pisspoor excuse.

Throwing open the door, he walked into the house, and when he flipped on the hall light, his stomach dropped as his briefcase fell from his limp hand.

"Leyna?" he said in disbelief, looking down at the crumpled body of his daughter lying there in the hall. _"Fucking hell, it looks like a murder scene in here,"_ he thought to himself.

The blood.

Christ, there was so much blood.

Her face was splattered with it. The front of her shirt was soaked in it. Around her, a large pool of it spread out on the floor.

Kneeling next to her, Eli softly touched her cheek as he once more said her name, and breathed a sigh of relief when she finally opened her eyes. Looking up at him, she said quietly, "Dad?"

"I'm here now," he said reassuringly, and took her hand in his.

"Dad, I'm sorry for not making it tonight. I tried to, but-"

"Hush, baby, don't you worry about that," Eli stated, feeling guilty for the anger he had felt earlier. "Now tell me what happened."

"That…that girl came here. She said…she wanted to hurt you like you hurt her."

Eli frowned. "What girl, honey?"

"That redhead."

"Beth?" She nodded. "Beth did this to you?" Once more, she nodded, and Eli's heart sank when he realized this was entirely his fault. "I caused this," he said aloud, mainly to himself.

"Dad, please don't think that way," she started to say, when a fresh wave of pain made her tightly clench her jaw.

"Have you called anyone?" he asked, and immediately reached for the phone when she shook her head. As he talked to the 911 operator, and gave them the information they needed, Eli cradled Leyna's hand to his chest, softly stroking her fingers with his thumb in an effort to comfort and calm. "They are on their way," he informed her once he hung up, when he noticed she was shivering. "Are you cold?" he asked, and when she nodded he grabbed one of the afghans out of the living room to cover her up with.

"Here you are," Eli said as he draped the cover over her.

"Will you hold me, please?" she asked, weakly grabbing his arm. Eli scooped her up into his arms, holding her tightly to him in an effort to try and keep her warm. "I don't think I'm going to make it, dad," she whispered.

Eli's throat tightened, and his eyes stung when she said this. "You _will_ make it, Leyna. Don't you give up on me," he replied, trying to encourage her to think positively.

Reaching up, she touched his cheek as she added, "I love you."

His eyes brimmed with tears. "I love you too, my darling," he choked out, and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Pulling away, he looked down into her eyes, and watched as the light slowly left her eyes, replacing it a glassy, vacant expression. "Leyna?" She gave no response. "Leyna?" he repeated, and still she remained silent. Realizing she was gone, he buried his face in her hair as he broke down. "No, no, no, don't leave me. Don't leave me, Leyna, I need you," he sobbed loudly and freely, the pain in his heart more than he could withstand. His only daughter, his little girl, was gone for good, and it was all his fault.


	14. Chapter 14

Standing by himself next to the grave, Eli looked down at the freshly dug up soil covering Leyna's casket. Up until this point, it had not quite sunk in that she was truly gone. A part of him kept saying he had mistaken that fateful night, and that she was not really dead. Watching her casket being lowered into the ground made him finally grasp she was never coming back.

"Leyna, I'm so sorry," he murmured aloud. "I did this to you, and I am so sorry. I wish I could go back and fix the mistakes I have made. Perhaps then you would still be here, and your mother would still love me."

Unable to say anymore, Eli simply stood there, silently pleading to Leyna to come back, despite the fact he knew this fell on deaf ears. "Dr. Michaelson?" a voice behind him suddenly called out, bringing him away from his thoughts.

Turning around, Eli found a man standing there, no older than forty, Eli assumed. "Do I know you?" Eli asked with a frown.

"Not personally. I'm Todd Harris, one of the doctors from the clinic Leyna worked at," he explained, and extended his hand.

"Oh, of course. I remember her mentioning you a time or two," Eli stated as he shook his hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Likewise. Although, I do wish it had been on different terms."

"Yes, well, unfortunately that is how things worked out."

Placing a hand on his shoulder, Todd added, "I am so sorry that happened. Leyna was such a bright and wonderful girl."

Eli nodded. "Thank you," he murmured, and was brought back when he saw Todd's eyes grow misty. He never realized Leyna had gotten that close to the people at their job.

Quickly wiping his eyes, Todd asked, "Do you have a moment? I was hoping to get the chance to talk to you."

"Sure, I have a moment. What was it you wanted to talk about?"

Todd hesitated, before finally getting out, "How much did Leyna tell you about me?"

"Not a whole lot. Leyna never spoke much about any of those she worked with." Suddenly, a deep frown came to Eli's face. "What are you getting at?"

"Well…I felt it is only fair that you knew me and Leyna were not just co-workers. For a year, we had been seeing each other." Eli could feel his temper falring, but he kept calm. "Believe me, I wanted you to know before now, but Leyna was so hesitant about telling you. Please believe me when I say neither of us wanted to keep this from you this long."

Knowing Leyna felt as though she could not talk to him about this hurt Eli. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because, had this not happened, I would have asked you for your approval in my marrying your daughter," Todd informed him, and pulled from his pocket the ring he had planned to give to her. Eli took the ring from him and looked it over. He had done well. "I cared about her more than I can put into words, and even though I never got the chance to voice it to her, I did love Leyna. She was my world."

"If you supposedly felt this way, why did you not say it? The fact you were together a year, and up until this point you had never told her that makes me question how sincere you are."

"When you go through a divorce as ugly as the one I dealt with, saying such powerful words can turn into a difficult thing."

"I can relate," Eli commented, his mind going to his own divorce. Handing the ring back to Todd, he added, "Thank you for telling me, and just so you know, had you asked, I would have give you my approval."

Todd simply smiled at this, and hugged Eli, which took him by surprise, but he eventually returned it. When he pulled away, Todd started, "Well, I suppose I better go-"

"Why don't you stay and visit with everyone for a while?"

"I wouldn't want to intrude-"

"Oh, nonsense. Come meet the family you almost married into," Eli once more interrupted, and Todd finally gave in. As the two of them walked to where the remainder of the funeral party was, talking as they did so, the clouds finally parted, and the sun shone brightly over the cemetery field. As Eli glanced upward, a soft breeze set in, gently ruffling his hair. Knowing this was Leyna, he gave a soft smile and sent his love out to her before bringing his attention back to the man who had apparently won her heart.

* * *

**THE END**

_I hope it was worth the read to you! Comments/reviews would be greatly appreciated. :)_


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